Predictions abound for YS in 2010

A sushi bar. A roller-skating rink, a wind farm and a better set of school leaders than this town has yet to imagine. Short Street will become a park. Vernay will be fenced for dog walkers. No matter what reveals itself in 2010, it will be a better year than last, according to many villagers surveyed for this article. While a few held the future doesn’t exist, or is best left un-pondered, about 20 others recently shared their wild speculations and somewhat serious ruminations about what may happen in the village in 2010. “What I think is really going to happen is that the village will have a liberal epiphany and will stop being progressive. Everyone will become libertarians. We’ll abolish the income tax, get rid of the fire department and everybody will have to homeschool their kids,” said resident Seth Gordon. “It will be Lord of the Flies. I think that’s really quite likely.” Another prediction for the year ahead includes more flowers and music than pig head omens such as those in the allegorical novel by William Golding. “In the year of 2010, the hippies will continue their cultural revolution, continuing to take over, spilling out into the streets, spreading flowers and goodwill to all who pass by,” said resident Matt Housh, with dramatic flair. Because of the “brotherhood and community that grows here,” another prediction has Yellow Springs at the center of the planning for a galactic headquarters that will unfold (in order to save humanity) in 2012, according to John Brennan. This year will be the year that the extraterrestrial envoys of the “brotherhood of the light” will begin to gather in the village, he said, articulating the mothership of multiple alien theories gathered from community members. On a slightly different note, Robin Weinstein predicted that the Glen will be cleared to create a jet runway, because doing so would bring money into the area economy. “Just think of the jobs it will create,” she said. “What better good for the village?” In addition, she thinks a county headquarters for the Republican Party is a likely addition to the village economy in the coming year. In addition to a wind mill factory that will supply the best wind mills in the region, Eli Hurwitz predicts a sushi restaurant will open its doors in town. John Olsen and Stephanie Elsass think a roller rink, perhaps on the south end or the western edge of town, is just what the village needs. “More music, more people,” Elsass said. Afraid that some establishments that “townies depend on will close, due to financial reasons,” Rebecca Kuder predicts a new bead and incense shop will open its doors. “Oh, wait,” she said, “That was yesterday.” According to Mateo Gregor, in 2010, “We’ll hire an outside consultant to create an atmosphere where we can get together and talk about what will happen in 2010.” Suzanne Fogarty, who went to the trouble of getting out her crystal ball, verified: “I predict more visioning.” Surely this year, someone will disagree with something, according to Robert Freeman Wexler, while John Davis thinks that 2010 will be much the same as it was: “Anything truly surprising,” Davis said, “will surprise us.” Perhaps Marco Comegys will run for mayor, winning by a landslide, predicted Jennie Hudson. Tobi Dawson envisions increased attention to affordable housing in 2010, while Chelle Pallassis could only quote Kevin Costner, from The Postman: “Stuff’s getting better. Stuff’s getting better every day.” As for Mark DeLozier and Dave Shumacher, 2010 will, in fact, be more of the same. “I’ll probably still be here, sitting at the piano,” DeLozier said. (Click here to listen to a Sunday morning at the Emporium, featuring DeLozier on the piano, and Shumacher singing while playing guitar.) Even more predictions came from a group of folks who can often be seen gathering for coffee, cinnamon rolls and shared breakfast potatoes at the Emporium. “I’d like to see the Barr property saved, and have the senior citizen housing moved over to Corry Street,” said Ted Barker, who just returned from Wintergarten, Fla., a community with a bike lane in the center of the streets. Whoever put Mills Lawn downtown made a brilliant decision, he said, and 2010 should continue to be focused on making downtown an easily accessible place for youth and seniors. But look out! The village is due for another automobile smashup on Xenia Avenue this year, and a very hot summer, according to Leon Holster, who also predicts that another famous person will relocate to the village in the next year. Tom’s Market will repave, no question about that, he said, while the Emporium will choose a new color and DeLozier will tune the piano. “And Bambi will not retire this year, not a chance,” Holster said. In 2009, many in town focused on investments that had been lost, resident Amanda Turner said, citing the village’s loss of jobs through Antioch College, The Antioch Company, and NCR in Dayton. “It seems to me that a lot of people are focused on how to attract investments here to town through the arts and creative businesses and green building. So I’m hoping that is what 2010 is about, and that we manifest that by 2012,” she said. And for Pat Murphy, who said he is “involved in energy,” 2010 will be a year of waiting and gestation until the Mexico energy summit in December. “I’m seeing more and more of a change at the government level, a focus on conservation,” he said. “There is a tremendous emphasis now on buildings. Because of what we have done in the past, and what we are currently doing, it might be possible for Yellow Springs to really take an advanced leadership role in this effort. That’s my vision of what may happen.” But speculating on the future has its limits, some believe. “I have led a relatively happy life because I have disciplined myself not to think about the future,” Flo Lorenz said. “My philosophy is just to savor every moment.”